How to insert ball bearings into a flat steel geared shaft?

[Daniel Shnitka]

I hope I ask this question correctly without confusing anyone.
I may need some advice from the metal worker(s) on this forum.
I want to know if I can and how to insert up two ball bearings (one bearing per hole). I figure I need to (drill two holes and insert a ball bearing in each hole backed with a spring).These two would be drilled into the moveable geared flat shaft on the side of the drill press column that is used to crank the drill press table up and down. The two ball bearings would roll and would need to take the weight of the drill press table at the junction of the shaft and the cast iron column that supports the the shaft that inturn supports (motor, spindle and variable speed mechanism) of the drill press?
There, I think I have question asked correctly.

[Mike Marcade]

Are you trying to construct some type of detent mechanism? What is your application for this?

[Glenn Clabo]

Can you insert one of these spring plungers...????
http://www.wixroyd.com/products/posi...ers-metric.htm

[Bruce Page]

Any spring/ball plunger that would be strong enough to take the weight of a DP table would need a mechanical means to disengage it. I guess I don’t understand what you are trying to design.

[glenn bradley]

Sounds like your hoping for something to keep your DP table perpendicular to the column during height changes(?).

[Daniel Shnitka]

Home from work. This what I want to do based on some floor model drill presses I have tested on the sales floor. The problem seen though I have yet to own my first floor model drill press is: When you have to move the table to the left or right and perhaps out of the way of the drill bit for what ever reason the models in the largest retail tool shop outlet, all grab and and catch. The flat gearded rod 7/8" by 3/8" catches on the cast iron column. This geared flat rod is captured between the polished column and the chamfered top of the cast iron support column of the drill press.
One drill press on display had the flat geared rod bowed 4" to 5" inches from the column. The other drill presses on display required to a good deal of force of arm strentgh to move the table (and yes I untightened the locking lever bolt at the back side of the drill press table.)
After that exibition of grunt work to simply move the table on repeated units, I concluded I may have to come up with a way to move the table left or right on the column so as to avoid the jerky grabbing action of the flat rod againt the inside of the cast iron column.
Today in a different shop I was able to test a Delta 20-950 drill press for the this very issue; the table moved smoothly. Thank goodness as this is the unit I intended to purchase.
They could not sell the unit as someone (appently some customer reefed on the varible speed mechanism to see how it worked, well it was not running so now I have wait a little longer.

[glenn bradley]

My Delta 17-950 swings easily. Bear in mind that floor units may not have been assembled with the care we would give. I'd avoid a machine that has a binding issue that is design based. If they didn't get that right, what else did they miss?